Individual vertical-type fuelburning heater



April 1, 1952 w. G. CARTTER 2,591,235

INDIVIDUAL. VERTICALTYPE FUEL-BURNING HEATER Filed May 7, 1948 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 INVENTOR: WILLIAM G. CA/PTTEP A TTORNEKS".

Patented Apr. 1, 1952 INDIVIDUAL VERTICAL-TYPE FUEL- BURNING HEATER William G. Cartter, Monrovia, Calif., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Afiiliated Gas Equipment, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application May 7, 1948, Serial No. 25,763

11 Claims.

The invention relates to heaters ordinarily referred to as space heaters, and in this instance the heater is one utilizing a gas burner supplied with any one of a variety of types of gas.

Space heaters of a general sort are a familiar accessory for the heating of dwelling houses and other buildings where unit heaters are found most advantageous. Although the original space heaters utilized for fuel such substances as wood and coal, with the advent of inexpensive gas as a fuel supply considerable attention has been directed to the provision of gas fired space heaters individually operated and controlled so that, if need be, individual thermostats located in the room or space to be heated can be connected with the gas supply line for the control of such gas fired space heaters.

Heretofore, however, convention has dictated to a large extent the form and mechanical construction of gas fired space heaters. To a large extent they have been patterned after the form and proportions of stoves and cabinet heaters. When following that pattern, the heaters are built low and the gas burner is customarily of an elongated type so that the flame is spread over a considerable area in a horizontal direction while at the same time being confined to a relatively narrow width so that the space heater does not occupy any more floor space than necessary.

Other types of gas fired space heaters have been relatively uneconomical of floor space in that they have been built large and bulky with a great number of burners located therein in order theoretically to generate enough heat to warm a space of given volume.

Some departure has recently been made from the conventional type of gas fired space heater wherein vertical heater tubes have been employed supplied with heat individually by a gas burner at the base of the tube. Heretofore these vertical type heaters have been constructed in a manner. permitting them to be built into the wall .of a room or other space to be heated. There are frequent instances, however, where it becomes inadvisable to locate such a vertical type heater within the building wall and consequently resort must be had to some type of space heater which can be setout away from the wall. The invention disclosed herein is directed to a space heater which retains the advantages of the vertical type space heatersheretofore constructed for mounting within a building wall and which incorporates additional features productive of a space heater which can be set away from the wall and at the same time provide a convenient, :inexpensive and highly-efficientdevice which need occupy no more than a minimum area of available floor space.

It is therefore among the objects of the inven-- tion to provide a new and improved unit type vertical space heater, adapted to utilize heating tubes or elements, which is simple in design, inexpensive in construction, and easy of installation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved unit type vertical space heater incorporating one or more heating tubes and provided with an eflicient reflector, the elements comprising the space heater being kept substantially to a minimum without impairing the eiiiciency or safety features made necessary by the use of a device of the class described.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved unit type vertical space heater utilizing one or more heater tubes and incorporating a reflector for heat which is capable of adjustment about the heating tube in order to direct the distribution of heat toward an area where the maximum heating effect may be desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unit type vertical space heater wherein heavy items of equipment, such as the burner and appropriate accessories, I are located compactly within a chamber of relatively small dimensions at the base, the proportions of which in a lateral direction are confined to an area no greater than that occupied by an elongated vertical heating tube and reflector member which, although of a considerable height in proportion to its width, remains stable in erected position with portions thereof properly shielded for protection against the heating tube which provides the source for radiation of heat.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in a unit type vertical space heater a new and improved reflector capable of adjustment about a vertical heating tube and which. moreover, is so constructed that heat radiating from the rear of the tube may be roperly reflected out into the space to be heated with substantially the same effectiveness as heat radiated from the front of the heater tube immediately facing the space to be heated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved unittype vertical heating tube wherein the tube itself at its outlet end is formed so as to provide portions of a downdraft diverter in order thereby to minimize the number of parts comprising the venting portion of the device. I r

With these and other objects in view, the

ciated a concave reflector assembly 14 partially surrounding the tube and at the top is a hood [5 terminating in a vent IS. A guard for the tube is here illustrated as comprising vertical grill rods 11 surrounding theheating tube on the sides not occupied by the reflector l4.

As illustrated in greater detail in Figure 5, the

base In and the wall portionl2 surmounting the base are illustrated as housing the functional parts of the gas burner mechanism in a compact arrangement. The wall portion I2 is here illus Figure 2 showing the reflector in a different pcsi= tion of adjustment.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view drawn to alarger scale taken on the line 4- -4 of Figure l.

trated as cylindrical in form providing a space and within the space 20 is an interior wall 21 which forms an inner combustion chamber 22. The inner combustion chamber, however, extends only part way down with respect to the chamber 20 and-is, moreover, provided with a horizontal Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view drawn to a larger scale taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the lineB-B of Figure 5.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 3. In the construction and fabricationof gas fired space heaters certain elements are absolutely essential to the functioning of the device. When space heaters are designed to utilize a gas burner as a source of heat there is obviously one very hot area in the heater and suitable safe-guards must be provided in order to minimize the danger of overheating at this point. Naturally also if such a gas f red heater is to be efficient, means must be provided for dispersing heat from the heat source uniformly'in'to an area or space to be heated. In the unit typefvertical space heaters embodying this invention the source of heat is located iri' a vertical heating tube or column wherein the hot combustion gases preferably are momentarily restrained in their flow so that the whole tube becomes a source of heat. In order, however, to make the heater eflective as a space heater, reflectors, must be utilized to direct radiating heat from the wall of the heating tube facing away from the space to be heated back into tha s ac Bsca Qt t e. ee that, c mbus n gases are nerated y mamma 91: Pa s through the heatin tube. ome m ans, mi sbe Pl'ovidd for ccum lat n the n t combus i n s s after. the t he e rom as be n. u il sed a directing them upwardly o1 outwardly at some specified location, In some types of dwellings or other spaces to be heated the products of combustion canbevented the space. On other occasions a vent conduit is foundmore advantageous for leading the products of combustion out of the room into the atmosphere. In either event some type of collecting hood need be provided near the outletforgases from the heating element. Where. space heaters are to be used it becomes highly advantageous to so constructthe various parts that wherever possible they may serve a multiple purpose and thereby minimize the quantity of metalparts'used for the structure while at the same, time. preserving all of the safety features which are sonecessary when gas burners are used forheating purposes.

In the embodiment chosen toillustrate the in vention there is shown a unit type vertical space partition 23 forming a segmental bottom only partially closing the combustion chamber below the burner. One side 24 of the wall 2| may be flat and inset as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.

Within the base is located a blocl; here designated as a conduit block 25 or manifold secured to the footing II by means of a bolt 26.- At the center of the, manifold there is provided a means for mounting a burner 21 of any suitable design and a boss 28v having a bore extending therethrough providing means for mounting a shut-off valve 29 supplied through a gas line 30 with gas from a main 3|. The shut-oil valve is, mounted low on the base so that its weight contributes to the weight of the manifold at the lowest point possible in the. device. The. valve is illustrated as being located well within the circumference of the wall :portion l2 so that only a handle 32 protrudes.

Within the wall portion l2 on the side'of the burner opposite theshuteoff valve there may be provided a pressure regulator 33 a gas line with a vent tube 34 connected between the burner and the pressure regulator. The regulator is sup.-

' ported upon a bracket 39 bolted to the top side of the conduit block or manifold, These mech- V setting the height of the pilot flame, A door 40' hinged at dl'is adapted to swin open to'proyio access to the burner, the pilot and particularly the control for the pilot.

At the top of the combustion chamber therev is 7 provided a cover piece 45 which fits around the upper edge of the. wall- 21, thereby closing the top of the combustion chamber except 'fo a central circular aperture formed; by a flange 46 of the cover piece. The heating tube or column 13 is adapted to fit within the. flange 45 and to communicate with the combustion. chamber 22 through thecover piece. 45fat the central. aperture. It shouldbefnoted also that a substantially a u r open n flap e r att 1101) of the. wal portion [2 so. thatair. from below may circulate between the walls l2 and 2i upwardly and "out,- wardly through the annular opening 41; This construction will" provide a suitable insulation around the wall 2! of the combustion chamber which during operation becomes heated.

The cover piece 45 is specially constructed so that it includes a horizontal annular ledge 48 spaced some distance from the flange 46. This ledge is adapted to provide a bearing or support for a lower end element 49. An examination of Figure 5 will reveal that the lower end element is provided with an outer flange 58 and an inner flange 5| for strengthening purposes, the latter flange being located approximately Within the area of the ledge 48. Ventilating holes 54 are also provided in the lower end element.

,In order to secure the lower end element 49 in position upon the ledge, there is provided an annular clip 52 attached by screws to the cover piece 45 and having an outer portion 53 which overlies the flange 5i, thereby securely holding the lower end element in place but at the same time permitting rotation of thelower end element about an axis extending through the center of the heating tube 13. The lower end element 49, resting on the ledge tii of the chamber cover piece 45, by thus encircling the heating tube I3, limits horizontal separation of the bottom portion of the reflector assembly from the heating element l 3, while still permitting the above mentioned rotation. Provision for rotation of the lower end element contributes materially to the operation of the reflector M.

The reflector assembly M itself comprises in addition to the lower end element '39 an upper end element 65 having the same outside diameter but constructed of multiple plates 61 and 82 secured together and having outer flanges 63. The

plate 6i extends inwardly and provides a horizontal flange E i adapted to cooperate with another flange piece 65 to provide an annular recess for an asbestos sealing band 66. The band serves partly as an air seal and partly as a nonmetallic bearing surface, while the element 60 itself, by encircling the heating element l3, limits horizontal separation of the upper end of the reflector assembly is from the heating element I3. Thus, the two end elements 49 and 60 together serve to restrict or limit horizontal separation of the reflector assembly from the heating element [3.

Between the upper and lower end elements the reflector assembly Hi includes an outer easing 6! semi-circular in shape, as is particularly evident in Figures 2 and 3, the outer casing being securely held by the outermost flanges of the upper and lower end elements. Within the outer casing there is located a reflector sheet or member 58 preferably having a special wing form best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. The reflector sheet is shown secured at its outermost edges to adjacent edges of the outer casing 61 so that the reflector sheet and the outer casing are secured together as a unit. It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the entire reflector member incorporating the upper and lower end elements, the outer casing, reflector sheet, and grill rods is adapted to rotate about the. stationary heating column is. The reflector sheet is spaced inwardly from the casing 61.

If desired, the extent of rotation of the reflector may be limited by suitable stops. In the embodiment illustrated, the stops comprise ends 20 and H of a cut-out portion of the annular clip 52, this cut-out portion in the present instance being approximately 45 degrees. An upwardly bent ear or leg 12 on the inner flange of the lower end element may be locatedso iii 6 as to extend upwardly into the cut out portion at aposition where it will abut against either the end 10 or ll at one extreme or another of rotation of the reflector.

Attention is also directed to the unique construction of the reflector sheet 68. As here shown it consists of right and left-hand parts 73 and 14, the form of which can be readily discerned in Figures 2 and 3. The left and right-hand parts are joined by a vertical rib "55 which is in actuality a raised portion of the sheet of material forming the reflector. Both left and right hand parts are irregularly concave with a relatively sharp radius of curvature adjacent .the rib diverging progressively outwardly toward the outer vertical edges. By so constructing the reflector, radiant heat generated on the rear of the heating tube facing the reflector is reflected outwardly through the space between the heating tube and the reflector and thereby out into the area to be heated. This construction avoids as much as possible reflecting heat from the heating tube immediately back against the heating tube itself which would result in overheating the rear side of the tube and a corresponding lowering of the efliciency of the deviceforheating purposes. Also as shown the heating tube is illustrated as being provided with indentations .8 which in the present illustration comprise two in number on the front facing away from the reflector and two in number on the rear facing the reflector when the reflector is in normal position as shown in Figure 2. A bafiie Ti inside the tube provides two separate passages for the products of combustion as they pass upwardly from the burner 21 to an outlet 78 at the top of the heating tube. In this instance the baffle i? has a lip 19 at the top end bent over and attached to an adjacent portion of the heating tube. A heating tube of the general character shown and described is shown and claimed in my U. S. Patent No. 1,991,788, granted February 19, 1935. The upper structure of the space heater has considerable significance in that the entire upper structure is mounted upon and secured to the upper end or top of the heater stationary heating tube 13 and offers no interference to rotationa1 positioning of the reflector. As shown, the upper structure consists of an outer hood member 88, an edge 8| of which has substantially the same diameter as the outermost flange of the top end element. An inner hood member 32, circular at the top, has a somewhat elliptical skirt, the bottom edges of which are secured to the upper or outlet end it of the heating tube. There is thus formed an annular space 83 between the inner hood and the outer hood member 3a. This space is vented by apertures 33' in the top of the outer hood These hood members are attached togeth'er at their respective flanges 8d and 85 which surround a vent aperture 85 centrally located with respect to the heating tube. In the present instance a vent pipe it is attached to the flange 84 but this pipe may be removed if desired for replacement with a vent grill, or the passage 86 may be left open, depending upon operating condit ons.

Withinthe innermost hood member 82 there is located directly above the heating tube a deflector 90 having wings 8i held in place'by welding to the member 82. As shown the deflector is in the shape of a V throughout the portion which spans the outlet 58 of the heating tube. Cooperating with the deflector 9b are inwardly bent portions 92 and193 of the heating being "directed into the heating tube.

tube. These inwardly bent portions form deflecting portions of a down-draft diverter. The form of the inwardly bent portions is most readily apparent from an examination of Figures 1 and 4. During a down-draft or back-draft through the vent opening 86 cooperation of the deflector 90, the innerhood member 82, and the inwardly bent portions 92 and 93 of the heating tube effectively deflects the down-draft away from the interior of the heating tube and outwardly into the atmosphere between the top element 60 or the reflector and the lower edges of the hood members 80 and'82.

It is believed that operation of the device is readily apparent from a perusal of the foregoing description. To summarize briefly there is provided a vertical type gas heater having the gas burner located in the base. When the burner 21 is ignited the heating tube I3 is heated substantially uniformly throughout its entire area by hot products of combustion passing upwardly through the tube on either side of the baflie I1 and being guided thereby into contact with the indentations 16; When the tube is hot. some heat will be radiated directly from the tube into the space to be heated and the reflector comprising, particularly the left and right-hand parts I3 and M will assist materially in reflecting substantially all the remaining rays of the heat which strike the reflector out into the space to be heated. If more heat is desired in one direction that another, the reflector can be rotated about the tube a limited amount as determined by the stops Hi and II. The asbestos band 66 provides a bearing for the upper end element of the reflector against the hot outer surface of the tube. The lower end element 49 of the reflector provides a rotatable support for the reflector upon the cover piece 45 which in essence is a part of the base. An element in the successful operation of the structure involving the reflector lies in the fact that the center of rotation of the reflector is the same as the axis, of the heating tube. Constructed in this manner the distance between the surface of the heating tube and any given areaof the reflecting surfaces of the reflector will remain the same 'for all adjustments of the reflector.

'The top of the heater includes a construction which satisfies the requirements of draft hood 7 action necessary to most normal venting arrangements for heaters of this general description. To that end the. outer hood member 80 is provided adjacent the top with the apertures 83'. Al

' though the normal draft hood action would take place without the presence of the outer hood member, nevertheless the presence of this member improves the appearance of the device and also contributes to insulating the hotter portion of the collecting box defined primarily by the inner hood 82. g

A noteworthy feature of the presentdevice lies in the fact that the hood and vent means are carried entirely by the heating element itself and supported thereby upon the base. Contributing also to the economy of the structure and efilciency of operation of the device is the downdraft divert-,-

er consisting to a large extent of the inwardly bentportions of the heating tube itself which with. the assistance of a single deflector member located thereabove effectively avoid downdrafts Aiding measurably in thisis the incorporation of adownwardly directed curve at theemiddleoi. the deflector90 by means of? which the lower edge oi the deflector more closely approximates the shape of the opening at the top of the heating tube;

Also of interest is the proportioning and disposition of the heating element 13 and the reflector assembly [4. It will be noted in Figure 2 that a vertical, chordal plane spanning the vertical edges of the concave reflector assembly i4 would approximately bisect the cylindrical heating element l3, whereby a substantial portion, in this case, approximately half, of the heating element l3 would lie outside the region bounded by the reflector assembly 14 and the spanning chordal plane. The advantage of this structure is that there results direct radiation over a full 180 are, thereby enabling direct radiant heat to reach into the corners of the room on each side of the heater. The protruding or projecting nature of this half of the heating element l3 also results in cooler heater operation with consequent increased efiiciency.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of my invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

i'aving described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vertical-type space heater, 2, base assembly comprising walls forming a combustion chamber, a gas burner disposed in said combustion chamber, a hollow, vertical, tubular heating element fixedly supported upon the base assembly communicating at its lower end with the combustion chamber above the burner, a vent above the upper end of the heating element, a reflector assembly including a reflector extending substantially throughout the height of said heating element and partially therearound, upper and lower end elements fixed to said reflector and encircling said heating element to limit horizontal separation of said assembly from said heating element, and means for rotatably supporting said reflector assembly by said base assembly for.

rotatable adjustment about the axis of said heating element.

2. In a vertical type space heater a base assembly comprising walls forming a combustion chamber, a gas burner disposed in said combustion chamber, a hollow vertical tubular heating element fixedly supported'upon the base as-' tion of .said assembly from said heating element, said lower end element being rotatably supported by said base assembly whereby said reflector assembly is rotatably adjustable about the axis of said heating element.

3. In a vertical type space heater a base assembly comprising walls forming a combustion chamber, a gas burner disposed in said combustion chamber, a hollow vertical tubular heating element fixedly supported upon the base assembly communicating at its lower end with the combustion chamber about'the burner,a hood including avent carried upon the upper end 'of'sa'id 9; heating element, a reflector assembly including a reflector extending substantially throughout the height of said heating element and partially therearound'upper and lower end elements fixed to said reflector and encircling said heating element to limit horizontal separation of, said assembly from said heating element, said lower end element being rotatably supported by said base assembly whereby said reflector assembly is rotatably adjustable about the axis of said heating element, and limit stop elements onsaid base assembly and said reflector assembly, respectively, adapted to mutually engage to limit the extent of rotatable adjustment of said reflectorfassembly about said heating element.

4. In a, vertical type space heater a base assembly comprising walls forming a combustion chamber, a gas burner disposed in said combuw tion chamber, a hollow vertical tubular heating element fixedly supported upon the base assembly communicating at its lower end with the combustion chamber about the burner, a hood including a vent carried centrally upon the upper end of said heating element, a reflector assembly including a curved reflector extending substantially throughout the height of said heating element and partially therearound, upper and lower end elements fixed to said reflector and encircling said heating element to limit horizontal separation of said assembly from said heating element, said lower end element being rotatably supported by said base assembly whereby said reflector assembly is rotatably adjustable about the axis of said heating element, guard means extending between said end elements on the side of said heating element unoccupied by said reflector and limit stop elements on said base assembly and said lower end element, respectively, adapted to mutually engage to limit the extent of rotatable adjustment of said reflector assembly about said heating element.

5. A space heater comprising: a base member, means fixedly mounted on said base member forming a combustion chamber and providing a support for a heating element and a reflector assembly, a fuel burner mounted within the C0111- bustion chamber, a hollow tubular heating element fixedly mounted on said means on an axis passing through said chamber and having one end open to said combustion chamber, a reflector assembly behind and substantially coextensive with the length of the heating element, and means rotatably mounting said assembly on said first means for rotatable adjustment about said axis.

6. A space heater comprising: a base member, means fixedly mounted on said base member forming a combustion chamber and providing a support for a heating element and a reflector assembly, a fluid fuel burner mounted within the combustion chamber, a hollow tubular heating element fixedly mounted on said combustion chamber means on an axis passing through said chamber and having one end open to said combustion chamber, a hood forming products of combustion collecting box fixedly mounted upon the other end of said heating element and supported thereby, a reflector assembly behind and substantially coextensive with the length of the heating element, and means rotatably mounting said assembly, on said combustion chamber means for rotatable adjustment about said axis, there being a clearance between the end of said reflector adjacent said hood and said hood so that the hood does not interfere with rotation of the reflector and to provide an air and gas passage between the edge of the hood and the'end of the reflector assembly. 7. A, space heater comprising: a base assemblyineluding a wall forming a combustion,cham. her and an upper outlet opening 'therefor, ,and means above said wall and fixed thereto adapted to support a heating element and a reflector assembly, a burner in said combustion chamber, a hollow tubular heating element supported on said support means on an axis passing through said chamber and open at one end to said com bustion chamber through said outlet opening, a reflector assembly including a concave reflector behind and substantially coextensive withv the length of. the heating element, and means rotatably mounting said reflector assembly on said support means for rotatable adjustment about said axis;

8. A space heater comprising a base assembly, a gas burner mounted in said assembly, a hollow tubular heating element supported on said assembly on a vertical axis in position to receive products of combustion from said burner, gas collecting means supported by said heating element at the upper end region thereof, a reflector assembly including a vertical reflector partially surrounding said heating element and substantially coxtensive with the length thereof, and means rotatably mounting said reflector assembly on said base assembly for rotatable adjustment about said axis, said gas collecting means being spaced above the upper end of said reflector.

9. In a vertical type space heater, means forming a combustion chamber, a gas burner in the chamber, a heating tube fixedly mounted on said chamber means along a vertical axis and having its lower end in communication with the burner chamber to receive products of combustion from the burner, a vertical reflector partially surrounding said tube and substantially coextensive therewith, and lower and upper end elements attached to said reflector, the lower end element encircling the tube above the .burner chamber and being rotatably adjustable about said axis, the upper end element rotatably engaging the tube to sustain the reflector in upright position.

10. In a vertical type space heater, means forming a combustion chamber, a gas burner in the chamber, a heating tube mounted on said chamber means along a fixed vertical axis and having its lower end in communication with the burner chamber to receive products of combustion from the burner, a vertical reflector partially surrounding said tube and substantially coextensive therewith, and lower and upper end elements attached to the reflector, the lower end element encircling the tube above the burner chamber and being rotatably adjustable about said axis, the upper end element engaging the tube to sustain the reflector in upright position.

11.111 a vertical type space heater, means forming a combustion chamber, a gas burner in the chamber, a heating tube mounted on said chamber means along a fixed vertical axis and having its lower end in communication with the burner chamber to receive products of combus tion from the burner, a vertical reflector partially surrounding said tube and substantially coextensive in length therewith, lower and. upper end elements attached to the reflector, the lower end element encircling the tube above the burner chamber and being rotatably adjustable about said axis, the upper end element engaging the tube "to sustain th reflctor in upright vpnsition. Nmrzber and gas collecting means supportd by mid tll o 1,140,910 wave the upper iid 0f the reflector and spaced 1,925,744 iro m the reflector fw'ithbut di fct connection 1,991,188 thietb. 5 2,190,319 WILLIAM G. CARTTER. 2,439,038 I 2,539,512 I REFERENCES CITED Th following references are of record in the file of this patent: w fg? UNITED STATES PATENTS 43 :531 Number Name I Date 7. 4 873,842 Cole 1-- 1 Dec. 17, 190? 5 2,94 972,905 Palmer 0621;. 18 1910 15' 12 Name Date Metcal'f wnhuaa May 25, 1915 Berry t a1. u h-. Sept. 5, .1933 iCai'ttm' A 1 Feb. 19, 1935 Bm 1 -1 Feb. 13, 1940 C-ft't'er 1 -1 AprYG, 1948 Herbert 1 Jan. 30, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Norway Dec. 28, 1925 Great Britain Oct. 16, 1935 Great Britain May 27, 1936 Great Britain Mar. 28, 1939 

